Railway journal lubricator distributor



Sept. 30, 1952 J, HENNESSY 2,612,415

RAILWAY JOURNAL LUBRICATOR DISTRIBUTOR Filed Aug. 3, 1949 2 SHEETS--SHEET 2 Patented Sept. 30, 1952 RAILWAY JOURNAL LUBRICATOR DISTRIBUTOR James J. Hennessy, Chambersburg, Pa., .assignor' .to 'Hennessy. Lubricator Company,'.lnc., Chambersburg, Pa., acorporation of Delaware Application August'3, 1949,"SerialiNo. 108,325

6"Claim's.

' -The invention relates to the lubrication of railway axle journals and more particularly to a =m'echanica'l device mounted in an A. A. R.

removalof the pump and distributor through the outer open end of the journal box when the box, with the journal bearing and wedge, is

mounted on the journal.

"The general object of the-present inventionfis to provide a' distributor which can be inserted through the open end of the box and beneath the journaland after such insertion maybe assembled readily with a mechanical pump unit also inserted throughthe open end of thebox and beneath thejournal; j v 'Itis necessary that the distributor'be held in close contact with the'journal during operation of the lubricator and throughout the lifesof the distributor and'it is a furtherobjectof the invention to-pr'o'vide a distributor which will meet this condition.

The invention comprises a'distributor member of substantialar'ea composed of fibrous material, the member as a Whole being bendable so that it may be readily inserted into and removed from the space between a journal and the bottom of a box mounted thereon. Preferably the distributor is supportedi'from the bottom of the-box in which it is inserted by an elongated spring leaf readily distortable with the distributor fibrous member to accommodate insertion and removalfrom thebox. The distributor --also in 'clu des a depending conduit throughwhich lubricant may be supplied to the surface of the distributor, the conduit and associated parts-being arranged to hold its lower end 'above the bottom of the journal box to facilitate application and removalof a pump. I =In the'accompanying drawings illustratin selectedembodiments of the-invention;

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through the lower portion of an A. A. R. journal box with one form of the novel distributor in functioning position, the associated pump assembled therewith.

Figure 2 is a detailed section corresponding'to a portion of Figure l but drawn to a-larger scale and 'showing the inner end of the pumpwithdrawn from beneath the central portion of the distributor. I

Figure 3 is'a transverse verticalsection taken on the line 33 of Figure 2, butwith the pur'rip removed.

Figures 4 and 5 are diagrammatic views'taken longitudinally and transversely of the distributor and showing how it may be fixed during insertion into and removal from the box.

Figures 6, 7, and 8 correspond to Figures 1, 2, and 3 but illustrate anotherform of the invention. In the structure shown in Figures 1-5 the journal box 1 receives the journal 2 in the usual manner. A horizontally disposed holding plate'l extends across the bottom ofthe box and is weldedthereto at W. A pump -3 of the general type shown in my earlier Patent 2,331,835, issued October 12, 1943 is seated-upon the bottom wall 4 of the box and is received in a longitudinal slot-in plate P.

' A distributor 5"is applied tothe lower face of the journaland is thrust against the journal by flat springs 6 seated upon plate P. The body of the distributor comprises a plurality ofpads 10 of felt or other suitable oil transmitting material having their-upper edges cut arcuately to fit the journal surface. Thelower corners of the pads are'not'ched (Figure 3) to receive bendable sheet metal strip II which are mounted on springsfi and extendfrom front to rear of the distributor near each side thereof. The ends of strips! l are flanged upwardly at l 2 and I3 to engage the outer faces of the end pads l0; v

A rod 14 is "associated with'each strip II and extends through relatively large apertures there'- fore in all of the pads 10 and each rod has a head Me at one end engaging the upturned flange 12 of the associated strip H and ha a head l-5'atthe other end engaging the outer end of a coiled spring 16 which thrusts inwardly against the'bottom of a cup ll having'a flanged outer 'rim I8 seated on the adjacent flange l3 of strip'H.

The padsl-O are'split vertically down the center of the distributor and these split sectionsar'e pulled together by transverse rod I9, springs 20, and spring cups 2|, corresponding to the longitudinally disposed rods and cups andseated against depending legs -33 of angular clips having their horizontal legs secured between springs '6 and strips! I.

The pads at the center of the distributor body areapertured toreceive a metal sleeve 22 which has "a flanged top rim 23 and a wider flanged bottomrim 24. A tube 25 of leather or other flexible material is attached at its upper end to fiange and atits lower endto theflangedrim "26 of a terminal 21 having a semispherical lower end. A

helical spring 28 is seated against the bottom face of sleeve 22 and the upper face of terminal 21. A

ball 29 and a port 30 in terminal 21 form a check valve.

The upper flange 250f sleeve'22is shapedtofit against the face of "the journal-and is received in suitable notches provided therefor in the adjacent felt pads l0. Oil is pumped through port 3!], tube. i. r

.10 After initial saturation of the' felt .v

the pump may have supplied a substantial quanj 1 box lubricator, a series of fiat pads arranged upright and face to face with their upper edges tity of oil to the journal.

After the box and journal are assembled, the

distributor is inserted between the holding plate 4, and the thin pad and flexible backing plate permit the distributor to be bent transversely and longitudinally as it is inserted in the space between the box and the journal, or is removed therefrom. When the distributor is inserted, its terminal is slid into the slot in the holding-plate with flange --=5'3 "above the plate and thereafter itis easy to insert the pump beneath it.

The details of the distributor may be varied other than asshown without departing from the spirit of the invention and the exclusive use of those modifications of the invention coming withand the journal and the lower face of terminal When inserting the distributor into the box oe- 5,:

neath thejournal and when removing theldistributor from the box the sides of thebody; may be grasped by the hands and readily distortedas indicated'in; Figures ,4 and =5 to facilitate the passage of thedistributor through the restricted space between the end of the journal and the end of the box or strips H may bend to theextent necessary. At the same time, the long fiat springs 6 are readily compressed by the operator, if'necessary, to effect the passage of thedistributor pad and springs between the journal bottom. ,The general arrangement shown in Figures ,6, 7, and 8 corresponds to that shown in Figures 1,

and the box .2, and 3, but the arcuate distributor pad 40 consists ofa single sheet of felt or other fabric material and is not divided lengthwise or trans-, versely. It isrelatively thinner than the felt strip previously described and a flexible sheet 4| of leather, metal, or plastic underlies the pad and is thrust against the journal. by flat elliptic springs 42 disposed angularlywith their lower portions engaging the box lower wall 4a and holding plate P. A terminal 44 similar tocon duit terminal 21 has an upwardly extending central sleeve 45 inserted within a flexible tube 46 which leadsrto an upper metal sleeve 41 received in an opening in pad 40, butonly projectingpart way through this pad. Acollar 48, slidable on sleeve 45, hasa flange 48a. underlying a lip 520. on an upstanding flange 52 on holding plate P at the inner end of the longitudinal slot in the holdingplate, A spring 49 is compressed between collar 48 and a flange 53 on terminal 44 and thrusts the terminal to socket 50 inthe inner end 5| of thepump 3a.

When the pumpis withdrawn, terminal 44 is lowered by spring 49 until flange 53 rests upon theedge portions of the slot in the holding plate P and the terminal is positioned above the bottom of the box as shown in Figure 7. -When the. pump is inserted, the terminal is raised, compressing spring-49 which firmly seats the terminal in the pump socket 50 as shown in Figure 6. 1 -J With this constructionthe long elliptic springs inthe scope of the claims is contemplated.

'r'What-is. claimed is:

1'. ma distributor for a railway journal axle shapedD-t'o engage the surface of a journal to be lubricated, means yieldingly holding said pads face. to face but accommodating the tilting of the pads-about their upper edges andrelative to each other to accommodate the insertion and removal of the distributor as a unit between;;a--journal and the bottom of a box mountedthereon, the pads being divided lengthwise of the distributor into two portions tiltable relative to each other about a central axis extending longitudinally of the distributor;there being means -yielding re,- straining the vtwo portions against tilting.-

2. -In a distributor for a-railway journal axle box lubricator, a serie of flat pads arranged upright with their opposingfaces in contact ,and

that the journal engaging surface of the pads may be-curved lengthwise of the distributor ,to

facilitate its insertion and removal as a unit beitween a journal and the body of a box mounted thereon. a

3.. In a lubricant distributor fora ;railway journal ,axle .box lubricator, a member of substantial' area of ,flbrous material for application to the journal to be lubricated,-supportingsprings spaced ;-tran sversely of said member, a conduit depending from said member between said springs and constructed to be lengthened and;shortened-, aball-shaped terminal on the-lowerfend .of the conduit for seating on a lubricant pump, and a lateral projection on said conduit above saidterminal for engaging alsupport independentlypof the ball terminal tosupportthe conduit and,- -te-r, minal abovethe bottom of the journalbox inde: pendently; of said springs when the terminalis not seated on a pump, I

4. In a railway journal box lubricator, a holding plate comprising spaced portions constructed to rest upon. the bottom of a journal box and to receive a lubricant pump between them, a lubricant distributor including a structure of fibrous material shaped to engage the surface of a journal to be lubricated, a supporting spring depending from said structure, a-conduit depending from said structure and including a section of flexiblematerial which maybe distorted-to vary the length of the conduit,-a lower terminal on said, conduit arranged to'contact a pump beneath the level of said plate portions, aspring yieldingly holding said section extended and thrusting said terminal away from said'structure, and a lateral projection on said terminal about its lower end extending over said holding plate spaced portions and arranged to engage the latter and support said terminal if there is no pump beneath the terminal.

5. In a railway journalbox lubricator, a holding plate comprising spaced portions constructed to rest upon the bottom of a journal box and to receive a lubricant pump between them, a lubricant distributor including a structure orfibrousmaterial shaped to engage the surface of a'journal to be lubricated, asupporting spring depending from said structure, a conduit depending from said structure and including an upper section of flexible material which may be distorted to vary the length of the conduit, and a lower section of rigid material provided with a terminal arranged to contact a pump between said plate portions, a spring surrounding said lower section and compressed between said terminal and a seat on said lower section and yieldingly holding said lower section extended and thrusting said terminal away from said structure, and a lateral projection on said terminal extending over said holding plate spaced portions and arranged to engage the latter and support said terminal if there is no pump beneath the terminal.

6. In a distributor for a railway axle journal 30 Number lubricator, a plurality of felt-like pads of substantial thickness disposed face to face and with aligned upwardly facing cut edges .for application to a journal, said pads being arranged in pairs 'end to end transversely of the distributor and each provided with an upright shoulder facing outwardly of the distributor, a retaining strip extendin lengthwise of the distributor along the pad shoulders at each side of the distributor, and

a yielding tension member extending transversely of the distributor and engaging said strips and drawing them towards each other but yielding to accommodate relative, inclination of the pads of each pair vertically about an axis extending longitudinally of the distributor intermediate its sides.

JAMES J. HENNESSY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

